Paella
Ingredients
2 Tbsps olive oil
200g chorizo, sliced into coins
200g calamari, cut into slices
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, diced
300g small chicken thighs
1 ½ cups Akila Jasmine Rice
3 ½ cups chicken stock
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp saffron threads
1 cup frozen peas
12 medium prawns, whole, shell on
12 mussels, cleaned
Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
2 Lemons, cut into wedges to garnish
Method
01
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive in a pan and fry chorizo until brown on both sides; remove chorizo from the pan and set aside.
02
Add the calamari to the same pan and flash fry it for 30 seconds, then remove the calamari from the pan and set it aside.
03
Add the remaining oil and fry the onion, garlic and red pepper until soft.
04
Add the chicken thighs and cook until browned on all sides, then add the rice and mix well to coat the rice in the pan oils.
05
Add the chicken stock, tomato and saffron and combine; add the chorizo to the pan and stir
06
Bring it to a simmer, gently adjust the heat so it’s simmering and simmer for 10 minutes don’t stir
07
At this stage, a bit of rice should be poking through to the surface, but there should still be plenty of liquid.
08
Add the peas, prawns and mussels (submerge the seafood in the rice and liquid) and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the prawns are opaque, the mussels are open, and most of the liquid has been absorbed, but the mixture is still a bit liquidy. (Discard any mussels that do not open).
09
Remove the rice from the stove and check it (test to see if it is cooked – it should be firm but cooked. If it is too firm for your taste, add a splash of hot water and keep cooking).
10
Add the calamari, cover with a lid, and allow the paella to rest for 5 minutes.
11
Serve with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.